Dispenser having brush operated means for reciprocating the supply container and loosening the material contained therein



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W. V. EATON Filed Nov. 14, 1949 DISPENSER HAVING BRUSH OPERATED MEANSFOR RECIPROCATING THE SUPPLY CONTAINER AND LOOSENING'THE MATERIALCONTAINED THEREIN Jan. 1, 1952 9 9 mN 8 0 9 T 0 0 M T 8 N T 1 A 2 M M mM M m M v/ B Patented Jan. 1, 1952 OFFICE DISPENSER HAVING BRUSHOPERATED MEANS FOR RECIPR'OCATING THE SUPPLY CONTAINER AND LOOSENING THEMATERIAL CONTAINED THEREIN William v. Eaton, Cleveland, Ohio ApplicationNovember 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,145 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-127) 1 Thisinvention relates to dispensing devices, and more particularly todevices for dispensing dine granular or pulverized materials.

Materials in finely granulated or pulverized form, such as toothpowder,are generally packaged in containers. Then in order to use thetoothpowder it is necessary to rotate a cap closing an opening or toremove the cap entirely, and then shake the container. Then, dependingupon the vigor with which the container is shaken, quantities of thetoothpowder will be ejected or caused to flow out. The quantitiesgenerally are limited since the toothpowder tends to pack in the narrowoutlet opening. Means have been proposed for dispensing pulverizedmaterial in which a container can be positioned and vibrated, or liftedand dropped, so as to loosen the toothpowder. Generally such means.

are of an impact type, designed to jar some of the powder loose. Stillother means have been proposed having a screw type powder materialloosening device which upon rotation and when embedded in the powderwill loosen and cause it to flow. These devices are generally intricateand expensive, and permit an accumulation of powder in their basewherein the actuating,

mechanism is located not infrequently causing a failure of operation,and making necessary an occasional disassembly for cleaning purposes.

This invention advantageously provides for a simple and an efllcientdevice having a minimum of working parts that is adapted to dispensefinely pulverized or granulated materials such as toothpowder. Thedispensing device is adapted to readily measure out a desired quantityof the material onto a receptacle such as a toothbrush. Furthermore thedevice is adapted to be readily cleaned of accumulations withoutdisassembly, particularly of the powder loosening means. A turtheradvantage is the adaptability of the device to be mounted whereverconvenient. It is provided with a separable holding or mounting meanswhich may be attached wherever desired, and the dispensing element canbe easily removed therefrom for replacement or cleaning purposes.

The invention will be more specifically described in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawing where:

Figure l generally discloses, in perspective, the assembled dispensingdevice with a schematic showing of a toothpowder container and brush inposition;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the dispenser;

Figure 31s a lateral cross-section of the device;

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 3; and ,7

Figure 5 represents the container reciprocating and powder looseningdevice of the dispenser.

Referring to the drawing there is shown in Figure 1 a dispenser l0having a body portion tapered substantially toward its middle and adiverging portion having an opening ll into which a device such as atoothbrush l2 can be inserted. Thetaper in the dispenser body I0advantageously comprises a construction for the concentration of flow ofloosened and liberated finely ground, powder-like, material directingits flow onto a receiving device, for instance, a toothbrush that may bepositioned in the opening H directly below. The dispenser body It isadapted to have mounted thereon a toothpowder or pulverized materialcontainer 13 resting on a moveable circular holding and supportingsection l4 resting on the surface 15 of the dispenser 10. The supplysupport It has an opening 25 having a diameter adapted to receive theneck of a container [3. The opening 25, then, in the lower section ofthe support I4 converges to form a hopper in the shape of an invertedtruncated cone. The hopper is shown as being circular, however, where aspreading of powder is desired the hopper outlet can advantageously takethe form of an ellipse. The exterior of the support it hopper section,however, although of a lesser diameter than the portion above thesurface I5, is generally cylindrical. Further, the end of the containersupport I4 within the body of the dispenser l 0 is advantageouslyrounded so that dispensable material within the hopper section can besubstantially physically contacted by the material loosening actuatordevice 28 for an entire raising and lowering period of the support Hi.

Within the dispenser body Hi there are provided recesses [8 adapted toremove the pivots E9 of the actuator device 20 that is adapted to raiseand lower the support 14 and, of course, a powder supply that may bepositioned within the support. The actuator 20 pivots about the shaftextensions I9. It has a depending section 2| which merges with asubstantially horizontal section 22 that is vertically serrated, then adownwardly vertically depending section 23 with a lower enlarged portion24. The actuator 20 is supported by the pivots l9 and by the enlargedportion 24 which rests on the base of the dispensing device body In. Thepowder supply sup port 14 is adaptedto rest very lightly on the topv ofthe serrated section, which may be rounded, oi the actuator20;.

In operation, with a supply 13 of a pulverized material such astoothpowder in position on the support M a toothbrush I2 is insertedthrough the opening ll thrust and then withdrawn against the section 24of the actuator 20. The motion is limited since section 24 will abut theinner wall of the device It). This movement effects a rotation of theactuator 20 about the pivot points 19 raising and lowering the supportl4 and the powder supply l3. Simultaneously with the lifting andlowering, in a sawing manner, the serrated section 22 loosens thecompacted and slightly bulged powder extending beyond the mouth of theconical hopper and with which it is in contact causing the powder todrop along either side of the serrations onto the toothbrush. Thesection 22 acts, generally, as a valve or stopper. If a single thrustdoes not provide a sufilciency of powder onto a toothbrush then theaforesaid operation is repeated until the desired quantity is obtained.

The dispenser body I is advantageously provided with a holder or supportis which can be attached to a wall or other vertical surface by means ofscrews 11. While the holder 16 is permanently fixed the dispenser Hi canb readily removed therefrom for replacement or for cleaning purposes.

The dispenser H) may be formed. of any suitable material, such asplastic, wood, vitreous material, hard rubber, or of metal, as desired.It is simple and sturdy in construction. It contains but two moveableparts, the actuator 20 and the container support It. While the actuator20 is permanently located within the dispenser body ill the entiredevice is of a construction that permits ready cleaning or the interiorsince there are no other parts to contend with. The powder supplysupport [4 is readily removeable, and spilledand accumulated materialcan be taken out either through the opening H or the opening created bythe removal of support M. The dispenser body Ill, because of itssymmetry, is advantageously adapted to be molded in plastic. A singlemold will suffice.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device comprising, a body, a support for substantiallyvertically reciprocably supporting material to be dispensed positionedin said body, said support being hollow so that said material is adaptedto flow therethrough, and an actuable means in con-tact with thedischarge opening of said supply support upon movement being adapted tovertically reciprocate said supply support and simultaneouslyfrictionally loosen the material in said support causing it to flow.

2. A dispensing device comprising, a body, a support for substantiallyvertically reciprocably supporting a material to be dispensed, an'open'hollow lower portion in said body into which said support extends andinto which said material is adapted to flow, and an actuable meanspositioned in said hollow lower portion and in substantial contact withsaid dispensable material being adapted upon movement to reciprocatesaid material and simultaneously loosen it through contact causing it toflow into said lower hollow portion.

3. A dispensing device comprising, a body hav ing a lower hollowportion, an opening in the top of said body communicating with saidlower portion, means in said opening adapted to receive asupply ofmaterial to be dispensed having a tapered outlet in the lower hollowportion, and

an actuable means positioned in said body being in substantial contactwith said tapered outlet, said actuable means being lesser in size thansaid outlet opening so that when said latter means is actuated loosenedmaterial is adapted to flow about its sides.

4. A dispensing device comprising, a hollow body having an inward taperadapted to con strict flowing finely divided material and an opening inits top portion, a removeable material container support in said openingand extending substantially into the tapered section of said hollowbody, said support having an opening throughout its length for the flowof said material therethrough, said hollow body having an-opening to theatmosphere in its lower section, a pivoted material loosening means insaid hollow body being in substantial contact with said containersupport, said pivoted material loosening means being adapted uponactuation to raise and lower said container support, and

said material loosening means being serrated along the length that is insubstantial contact.

with said container support.

5. A dispensing device comprising, a hollow body having an inward taperin its sides adapted to constrict flowing finely divided material and anopening in its top portion, a removeable material container support insaid opening extending substantially into the tapered section of saidhollow body, said support having an opening throughout its length forthe flow of said material :therethrough, said hollow body having anopening to the atmosphere in its lower section, a' pivoted materialloosening means in said hollow body being in substantial contact withsaid container support, said pivoted material loosening means beingadapted upon actuation to raise and lower said container support, saidmaterial loosening means being serrated along the length that is insubstantial contact with said container support, and said materialloosening means having a depending vertical section for its actuationpositioned in the lower portion of said hollow body and being accessiblethrough saidlower opening to the atmosphere.

6. A dispensing device comprising, a hollow body having an inward taperin its sides adapted to constrict flowing finely divided material and anopening in its top portion, a removeable material container support insaid opening extending substantially into the tapered section of saidhollow body, said support having an opening throughout its length forthe flow of said material therethrough, said hollow body having anopening to the atmosphere in its lower section, a pivoted materialloosening means in said hollow body being in substantial contact withsaid container support, said pivoted material loosening means beingadapted upon actuation to raise and lower said container support, saidmaterial loosening means being serrated along the length that is insubstantial contact with said container support, and a removeablesupporting means for said hollow dispensing body.

'7. A dispensing device comprising, a body having a vertical opening, ahopper positioned in said vertical opening, said hopper being adapted tosupport a supply of powder-like material, a pivoted means in said bodyadapted to raise and lower the hopper having a portion under said hopperin continuous substantial frictional'contact during an actuation of saidhopper, and said -portionof said means in contact with said hopperhaving a lesser width than the outlet opening of said hopper.

8. A-dispensing device comprising, a body, a vertical opening in saidbody, a hopper in said opening for supporting a powder-like material,said body'having a hollow base, said hopper having an arcuate outlet tosaid hollow base, and means in said body positioned in substantialfrictional contact with said hopper outlet for raising and lowering saidhopper, the frictionally contacting portion of said means havinganarcuat surface.

. WILLIAM V. EATON.

REFERENCES CITED Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hammer June 21,1932

